Filteb



Dec. 15 1925 1,565,661

F. B. LOMAX FILTER l Filed Sept. 29 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l MMC. 62

1E 1 i 30 i' 9" Z w l LU :Eire g L56/ Dec. 15,1925. 1,565,661

. F. B. LOMAX A FILTER Fld Sept. 29 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 may KW Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK B. LOMAX, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FILTER.

Application led September 29, 1924. Serial No. 740,432.

following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention has reference to filters or s rup makers, and more particularly to a evice which is employed4 in the making syrup such as used in connection with the preparation of soft drinks and similar preparations, and combines in a syrup maker,

a mixer and a filter of novel construction whereby the dissolving action on the sugar or solution of the ingredients `occurring 1n solid form.i n water or other liquids is facilitated.

Herctofore, in making syrup, and particularly for preparing soft drinks or similar syrup clean and pure, as well as bright and removed of the impurities and dirt occurring in 'sugar ordinarily used, the filteringfvnot straining, of these impurities from the syrup, preventing fermentation, ro iness, eloudiness and precipitation.

. epresent machine is designed to cheapen the'v cost of producing syrupY and carrying out the process expeditiously, and

it embodies ya tank or container so constructed that it may be made in one piece and overcomes the difficulties heretofore exrienced in securing a diaphragm or filterlng medium therein in the form of a partition, together with a novel arran ement of parts including a stand upon whic the container is supported and secured.y

A further4 object of the invention is to provide an agitator and a novel mounting therefor in conjunction with the container, together with apump and driving means adapted to be easily controlled to operate either the agitator or stirring means and the pump for circulating a mass of solvent through'a mass of solute, such as the sugar or other solid matter to the dissolved, and at other times withdrawing-the material or syrup after being filtered and returning lit to tie tank or discharging the same, as desire With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists Ofcertain novel combinations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is acentral vertical sectional view partly in elevation of my improved filter or syrup maker; t

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof partly broken away and in section; and

Fig. 3 is a fra mentary vertical sectional view taken at rig t angles to Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts'throughout the several views, designates a container or tank open at the top and supported in such elevation as to permit ready access thereto for dumpin the bags of sugar into the tank after'being picked up oif of the floor, being preferably about four feet from the floor so as to save the Operators time and obviate the necessityV of hauling or carrying sugar to' a platform several feet above the iioor for discharging the same into the container. For this purpose, the container is supported upon a stand 11 having a plurality, preferably three legs 12 made in the form of a casting with a circular ring or top portion 13 preferably beveled at the inside, as indicated at 14, to take the convexly depressed bottom wall 15 of the tank and provided with .spiders v1,6 curving downwardly in spaced relation to the bottom 15, as indicated at 17 formed with an axial opening at its hub 18 through which` a discharge pipe 19 extends.

The container 10 is divided into an upper compartment 20 anda lower compartment 21 through the medium of a diaphra partition or filtering element 22 prefera ly consisting of `an annular frame or ring 23 beveled at its outer corner, as indicated at 24, which beveled portion is provvided with a suitable packing 25 adapted to form a liquid-tight joint in connection with. the bottom wall Or convex bottom 15 of the tank or container, which it fits. The ring 23 is provided with a stepped upper face forming shou1ders26 adapted to take the filtering element, which consists of an upper ring or retaining member 27, a filtering medium, such as felt on the like, 28 in the form of a disc ositioned therebeneath, another filtering e ement 29 between the filtering element 28 and a filtering element 30 corresponding to the filtering element 28. All of these elements are of the same diameter and seated snugly in the upper recess of the filtering ring 23 and supported upon a foraminous or perforated plate 31, preferably of metal, seated in a recess 32 within four cap screws 33 which are provided to hold the filtering elements in position on the ring 23 to form a partition subdividing the tank into an upper compartment and a lower compartment 21, as previously described. lt should also be noted that the container 10 seats in the frame 13 at the top of the stand so that the latter is practically formed with a seat or recess in which the container is retained as through the medium of the outlet pipe 19 which is threaded in a central part or nut 34 of the ring 23 or hub portion thereof, as more particularly seen in Figs. 2 and 3- of the drawings, formed at the inner ends of the spokes 35 and provided with a threaded axial or central aperture for engaging with the upper threaded end of the pipe 19 plugged in the manner shown. By k-this means, the container or tank 10 is firmly secured onthe stand 11 and both parts may be very economically and satisfactorily produced in such a manner as to eliminate the necessity of mounting a horizontal partition transversely within the container, which opera'- tion is not only impractical, but very costly. Moreover, the present construction is such as to eliminate the possibility of the parts prematurely getting into a state'of disre pair, and permits the tank to be made of porcelain, glass lined with enamel on the outside for cleanliness and sanitation.

lt may also be mentioned that the screws are passed through the retaining ring 27 and engaged in threaded apertures in the ring or frame 23, together with the filtering elements 28, 29 and 30. The elements 28 and 30 are preferably of wool felt made in 'the form of a filter pad, while the element 29 is preferably of filter paper and some nonrusting metal, such as Monel metal, is used for the filter disc or perforated plate 31. rlhis permits the passage of the liquid or solvent while serving to retain the undissolved or solid particles of the mass of solute in the compartment 20 until dissolved and properly filtered into 'the compartment 21 therebelneath. En this connection, it should be noted has openings preferably in the form of ver-- tically elongated slots through which the neeaoei 37 mounted on the outlet or discharge pipe.l

The pipe then extends down-through the hub portion 18 and receives a nut 38 thereon for cooperation With the threaded connection 34 to securely hold the container in assembled position on the stand 11.

rlhe whole may be mounted upon a suitable base 39, although the legs 12 are provided with feet 40 for securing the same to a suitable support or flooring. rl`he legs 12 may be provided with horizontally projecting ears 41 in spaced relation to the flooring or base to take a platform or shelf 42 constituting a support for certain of the operative mechanism of the ldevice. As'

shown, a pump 43, preferably` ofthe rotary type, is mountedupon a base 44 securedvupon the shelf 42 and having an inlet connection 45 leading to the outlet or discharge pipe 19 of the container, while being further provided with a gauge 46, if desired. rlhe outlet of the pumpl is indicated at 47 and is provided with a drain or flush valve or faucet 48 so that the fluid or syrup may be drawn off or forced upwardly through a return pipe 49 and-into the container through the branch 50 extending through an opening inthe adjacent portion of the container near the top thereof and secured in position, as indicated at 51, by suitable clamping nuts and washers. A.

valve 52 is provided in the connection be tween the pipe 49 and the branch 59 eX- tending horizontally through the opening near the top of the container and has an outwardly horizontally extended connection 53 for drawing o` the filuid at this point or dischargingthe saine into containers for storage or shipment.

IIinmediately above the lter 22 at one side of the container 10, a bearing sleeve 54 is mounted to extend through an opening in the container wall and into the upper coin-y partment 20. rlhis bearing sleeve has a flange 55 at the outside formed integral therewith, and a collar 56 is fitted on the bearing 54 at the inside and through the medium of interposed packing 57 and securing means 58, such as screws, connecting the two parts; namely, the flange and collar, a iiquidtight joint is 'provided around the opening through' which the bearing 54 entends. A shaft is journaled in the bean ing and carries a screw propelier or ether agitator GO on its inner end and a grooved pulley or drive wheel 61 on its outer end, so that when the propeller is set in motion violent circulation yis set up in the entire mass within the compartment 20, including the solid material or solute to be dissolved and the solvent, such as the sugar and water which forms the-syrup, respectively.

In order to drive .the pump 43, a motor such as an electric motor 62 is mounted upon the shelf or base 42, and its shaft 63 is journaled in a bearing 64 and carries a widepulley or drive wheel G5. The shaft of the suction pump 43 is designated at G6 and carries'` a fixed pulley 67 of a proximately one-half the Width of the pu ley 65. The shaft 66 is mounted fi rotation or journaled in a bearing 68. A shaft 69 is journaled. in bearings 70'and 7l'iin alignment with the shaft 66 of the suction pump4 upon the shelf 42 and carries a pulley 72 at itsinner end in spaced'relation to the pulley 67 so as to adapt either to be engaged by a shiftable belt or endless drive member 73 trained on the pulley 65 and adapted to be shifted to drive either the suction pump 43 or the shaft 69 from the niotor, prime mover `or driving means 62. The shaft 69 extends at one. side and has a grooved. pulley 74 fixed thereto and of considerablyr smaller diameter than the upper pulley 61 fixed to the shaft of the agitator or propeller 60, around which an endless drive member or belt '7 5 is trained whereby the shaft 59 and ropeller. 60 may' be driven from the motor t rough the medium of the l belt 73 and shaft 69. In this way, the sucmateria from the com artment 21 after having been filtered lby being` drawnthrough the filter 22 or the entire mass in the compartment 20 agitated to set upa violent circulation and assist in dissolving the solid material therein. If desired, a valve may be interposed in the pipe connection 45" to control the quantity of material drawn off from the bottom compartment or to shut off the same-as when operating the agitator In the ope ation of the device, it will be apparent fro| i the foregoing that a mass of sugar or other substance tobe dissolved is placed in the bottom of the compartment 20 of thc container 10 upon the filter 22 and covered with a sufficient quantity of water or other liquid for properly dissolving the same. Actuation of the propeller or agitator 60 is effected by disposing the shiftable belt 73 upon the pulley 72 and driving the same from t-he motor 62 thus setting the entire mass"in violent circulation to assist in dissolving the solidmaterial. By shifting the belt 7 3 to' the pulley 67, the suction pump 43 may be driven tocontinuously withdraw the liquid from below the filter or diaphragm 22; that is, from the compartment 21 through the openings 35 and pi e 45, to be discharged at the faucet or va ve 48 into suitable containers or at the outlet connecer tion 53, according to the position of the ing.

ump 43 and the propeller 60 may4 be in ependently operated to draw ofi' the `heretofore done.

4bemuch more nearly saturated than the liquid above the diaphragm.` or filter, and the continued operation of the pump in conjunction with the agitator would'eventually completely dissolve all of Vthe material the the body of liquid was capable of dissolv- In this manner. both agitation and circulation, with suction, are vemployed to quickly and economically dissolve the sugar in the water or other solid material in the liquid. By introducing a predetermined level of the solventv liquid in the container 10, and ka predetermined quantity of the mass of solid material, a given volume of clear filtered syrup may be produced from the same and all dirt and extraneous matter removed and held by the filter. `By remov ing the fastening means or screws 33, the filter part may be removed and washed' or cleaned, or the parts readily disassembled by disconnecting the ring 23 from the threaded upper end of the outlet pipe 19. By raising the openings 35 inspaeed relation to the bottom 15 of the tank or conclose to the bottom as there is little 'likelihood of the solid matter passing through the filter. In any event, the thorough agitation of the mass and the suction action of drawing the same from the upper compartment 20 into the lower compartment 21 through the filter 22 for discharge or re- .turn to the container for refiltration, as de- `such height as to .permit the bags of sugar or other solidmaterial to be dissolved to be picked o of the finer and immediately dumped into the 4tank-thereby saving the operators time and lobviating the necessity of hauling or carrying the material to a 4platform several feet above the floor, as The-- device also provides economy in floor space used and in general lends to efficiency and the production of a superior product at minimum cost, which product,vbein g removed of impurities will prevent fermentation, ropiness, clou iness and precipitation. i

It is obvious that the agitation and circulation of drawing ol of the liquid may be simultaneously as well as independently carried on, and that other changes in the operap tending through Athe bottom of the container and securing theiiltering artition in position against the bottom o the container at the inside. c

,2. In combination, va container, a horizontal filtering partition separating said container near the bottom into two :superposed compartments, means forl agitating the material in the upper compartment, means lfor withdrawing materialI from `the lower compartment, a

A stand for supporting the container and a bottom opening,

connection between the stand and the bottom of the container for securing the latter in position on the stand, said means comprising an outlet through which the material i's withdrawn and having openings leading into the lower compartment.

3. In a filter, the combination with a supporting stand and a container having a bottom opening, a filtering partition mounted in the container upon the bottom and dividingthe container into upper and lower compartments, an outlet extending through the bottom and connected to the filtering partition to secure the latter in position, withdrawing means connected to said outlet and agitating means mounted at one side of the container above the ltering partition.

4. In a filter, the combination with a supporting stand and al container having a bottom opening, a iiltering partition mounted in the lfcontainer upon the bottom and dividing'the container' into upper and lower compartments, an outlet extending through the bottom and connected to the filtering partition to secure the latter in position, withdrawing means connected to said outlet, and valved connections with the withdrawing means to discharge the material withdrawn and to' return the same into the container.

5. In a Y filter, the combination with a supportingfstand and a container having a a filtering partition mounted in the container upon the bottom and dividing the container into upper and lower compartments, an. outlet extending through the bottom and connected to the -stand having a depressed tog mecanica ltering partition to secure the latter in position, withdrawing means connected to said outlet and agitating means mounted at one side of the container above the filtering partition, and a motor adapted to be operatively connected to the withdrawing means and the agitating means.

6. In combination, a container, a stand for supporting the container, a filtering partition dividing said container into two compartments, abearing extending through one side of the container, plates upon opposite sides of the containeriat the bearing and connected through the container with an interposed packing means, a shaft journaled in the bearing, an agitating propeller on the inner end of the shaft, and circulating means for withdrawing material from the second compartment and returning it to the iirst, said withdrawing means including a pipe extending through the bottom of the container and having drive means adafptted to be operatively connected to the sha l 7. -In combination, a container having a depressed bottom with a central opening, a partition having a ring engaging the bottom of the container and provided with filtering elements spaced from the bottom of the container to form upper and lower compartments, an outlet pipe extending through the opening in the bottom of the container and connected to the ring, a suction pump having connection with said ipe and provided with an, outlet adapted, to discharge outwardly of as well as into the container, and a motor'having drive connection with thel suction pump. A

8. In combination, a container having a depressed bottom with a central opening, a partition having a ring engaging the bottom of the container and provided lwith filtering elements spaced from the bottom of the container to form upper and lower compartments, an outlet pipe extending through the opening in the bottom of the container and-connected tothe ring, a suction ump having connection with said ipe an provided with an'outlet adapte to discharge outwardly of or into the container, an agitating member mounted through one side of the container, drive connectlons therefor positioned at the outside of the container, and a motor ada ted to be operatively connected to the drive connections ofthe agitator and the suction pump for driving them.

9. In a filter, a stand having a beveled top frame, a container having a downwardlyy convexed bottom seated in said frame, said part, a filter mounted in the container an 'engaging the wall thereof to divide 'the saine into upper and lower compartments, and withdrawing' means having a pipe connection between the partment and constituting connecting means between the partition and the stand to draw the container against the stand, and drive means for the agitator. t

11. In a filter, a stand, a container mounted on the stand, an agitator mounted through one side of the container, a partition mounted in the container and supported upon its bottom wall to divide the container -intoa/relatively large upper compartment "and a relatively shallow lower compartment,

an )outlet pipe leading from the lower compartment and constituting connecting means between the partition and the stand to draw the container against the stand, a suction pump connected to said outlet and having a discharge pipe with upper and lower. connections adapted to empty the material Withdrawn, as well as to discharge the same into the container, and a motor having shiftable drive connections for operating the suction pum and agitator..

12. In a ter, a stand, a shelf supported in an elevated lposition near the bottoinof the stand, a container mounted on the stand, an agitator mounted'through one side of the container, a partition mounted in the con-l tainer and supported upon its bottom -"wall to divide the container into a relatively large upper compartment and a relatvely shallow lower compartment, connecting means between the partition and the stand to secure -the partitio in position in the container in li uid-tight nnectionwith the bottom thereo and the cbntainer against the stand, and withdrawing means arranged upon the shelf and extendin into the lower compartment for withdrawing the material therefrom.

13. In a filter, a stand, a shelf supported in an elevated position near the bottom ofthe stand, a container mounted on the stand, `an agitator mounted through one side of the container, a partition mounted in the container and supported upon its bottom wall to divide the container into a relatively large upper compartment and a relativelyv shallow lower, compartment, said filter having a frame with a central portion and a packing engaging the bottom of the container, filtering elements secured upon the frame and having a foraminous lbottom plate engaging the central portion, a conf nection between the container, stand andk Yently operating the suction pump an tator.

central portion' ofthe filter frame to draw said .parts together in binding relation, a suction pump mounted upon the shelf, a motor'mounted upon the shelf and adapted to be suitably controlled, a pulley on the drive shaft of. the motor, a pulley on the drive shaft of the pump, an outlet for the pump, and an inlet for the pump extending from the lower compartment, a shaft having operative connection 1with the agitator, a pulley on the last named shaft, and a belt on the first named pulley and adapted to be shifted to the pulleys of the suction pump and'last named shaft for inde endagi- 14. In combination, a container having a i a filtering ,element detachably mounted within theframe, and withdrawing means extendin into the containerl below the filter and having openings communicating with the container.

15. In combination, a container having a depressed bottom, a stand having a depressed top portion and a rimagainst which the bottom of the container restsconnect ing means between the depressed bottom and the depressed top of the'stand, .a filter including a frame mounted in the container and having a stepped top face, a filtering medium mounted upon the frame and includin a foraminous plate at the bottom thereo securing means detachably securing the filtering elements to the frame and the plate in position, said filter dividing the container into a large upper compartment anda shallow lower compartment with its bottom wall sloping toward the center, and withdrawing means having an inlet pipe extending through the bottomand provided with an inlet opening in the ment.

16. In combination, a support, a container mounted on the said support, a partition mounted in the said container and supported upon the bottom of the said contalner dividing the container into two compartments, an outlet pipe. leading from the lower compartment and constituting connecting means between the partition and the support to draw the container against the sald support, said partition includingT-` filtering lower compartmeans, and an agitator positioned in the' said container.`

17.. In combination, a support, a container mounted on the said support, a artition including filtering means mounte in the con tainer and supported Vupon the bottom of said container to divide the container into two compartments, an outlet pipe leading lil from the lower compartment and constitutto said outlet and having a dischargnlfev pipe with upper and lower connections adapted to empty'the material withdrawn, an agitator in the said container, and driving means having shiftable drive connections for operating, the suction means and agitator,

18. In combination, a container in which material to be dissolved is placed, a supporting structure upon which the said container is disposed, a filter partition `within thesaid container anddividing it into' n two compartments, said filter partition being supported on the bottom of the said container, and a tubular element for securing the container in position upon the supporting structure andy for maintaining the filter in position on top of the bottom of the container, said tubular element being Meneer equipped with means for withdrawing the material from the lower compartmentof i tainer above said partition for aiding in 1 the dissolving of the material, and tubular means for securing the container in position upon the supporting structure and for maintaining the filter partition in position on top of the bottom of the container, said tubular means being equipped with means for withdrawing material from the lower compartent of the container.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 26 day of Se t., 1924.

. i FRAN B. LOMAX. 

